Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Chan-Ouk Jung

Kyeong-koo Chi

Hwa-sook Shin

Jae-Goo Lee

Chang-Jin Kang

Chang-hyun Cho

Hong-Sik Jeong

Chul Ho Jung

Sang-Sup Jeong

A self aligned contact pad in a semiconductor device and a method for forming the self aligned contact pad are disclosed. A bit line contact pad and a storage node contact pad are simultaneously formed by using a photoresist layer pattern having a T-shaped opening including at least two contact regions. An etch stopping layer is formed over a semiconductor substrate and over a transistor. An interlayer dielectric layer is then formed over the etch stopping layer. Next, the interlayer dielectric layer is planarized to have a planar top surface. A mask pattern having a T-shaped opening is then formed over the interlayer dielectric layer, exposing the active region and a portion of the inactive region. The interlayer dielectric layer and etch stopping layer are sequentially etched to reveal a top surface of the semiconductor substrate using the mask pattern, thereby forming a self aligned contact opening exposing a top surface of the semiconductor substrate. The mask pattern is then removed. A conductive layer is formed in the self aligned contact opening and over the interlayer dielectric layer. The conductive layer and the interlayer dielectric layer are planarization-etched to reveal a top surface of the gate mask, thereby forming at least two contact pads.

Method for forming a self aligned contact in a semiconductor device

A method for forming a gate structure on a semiconductor substrate includes the following steps. A layer of a gate material is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a patterned mask layer is formed on the layer of the gate material opposite the substrate. The layer of the gate material is then etched with an etching gas including a mixture of chlorine gas (Cl.sub.2), oxygen gas (O.sub.2), and a gas including fluorine (F) using the patterned mask layer as an etching mask. In particular, the step of forming the layer of the gate material can include the steps of forming a polysilicon layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a silicide layer on the polysilicon layer opposite the substrate.

Methods for patterning microelectronic structures using chlorine,

A method for forming a gate structure on a semiconductor substrate includes the following steps. A layer of a gate material is formed on the semiconductor substrate, and a patterned mask layer is formed on the layer of the gate material opposite the substrate. The layer of the gate material is then etched with an etching gas including a mixture of chlorine gas (Cl.sub.2) and oxygen gas (O.sub.2) using the patterned mask layer as an etching mask. In particular, the step of forming the layer of the gate material can include the steps of forming a polysilicon layer on a surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming a silicide layer on the polysilicon layer opposite the substrate.

Methods for patterning microelectronic structures using chlorine and

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Chan-Ouk Jung